Reinventing Cities

Chairperson Lisa Wise will represent FBCI at the Global Cities in an Era of Change 2016 symposium, March 30-April 1, at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.

The symposium will unite thought-leaders and decision-makers to address the challenges and opportunities the real estate industry faces as the built environment adapts to meet the needs of global urban population. The broad range of topics to be discussed include defining the global city of the future, how to prepare for and confront cyber and domestic terror threats, global capital flows and how autonomous vehicles will affect cities.

Wise will join three other distinguished panelists to discuss the “Reinvention of Cities.” She will be joined by Andy Cohen, co-CEO at design and architecture firm Gensler, Colin Shepard, CEO of Investment Management in Hines’ Office of Investments and Ed Friedrichs, former Gensler president and CEO and founder of the consulting firm Friedrichs Group, LLC.

The panel will discuss the new types of cities that are emerging and how they are leveraging cutting edge technologies, infrastructure, design, and planning techniques to create urban areas that fully accommodate professional activities and social, sustainable residential neighborhoods.

“If we are going to accommodate future populations in a sustainable manner, we need a significant transition to a renewable and energy efficient economy and best practices in urban planning,” Wise explains. “The key components of successful city reinvention from an urban planning perspective require greater public awareness of the need for this transition, prioritization of infrastructure investments, more accessible and flexible financing strategies.

“We also need the creation of new ‘urban operating systems,’” she added. “Urban operating systems in turn are based on policy and regulatory framework, and innovative approaches, such as form-based codes, which will be the focus of my presentation.”

“Like the panel discussion in which Lisa will participate, many other presentations during the symposium will include a focus on sustainability and smart cities. By attending, FBCI leaders will have the opportunity to meet key influencers in disciplines who need to know about form-based codes while gaining a global understanding of multiple forces changing cities,” said Carol Wyant, who serves on the FBCI’s and the Stanford Professionals in Real Estate’s (SPIRE) boards of directors. SPIRE is co-presenting the symposium with The Counselors of Real Estate (CRE) and RICS.

“During the symposium, experts who will present new trends and planning strategies that promote global city walkability and sustainability, and help communities maintain a neighborhood identity,” explained FBCI board member Charles Nash. It offers an excellent opportunity to convey to nationally recognized conference presenters and SPIRE, CRE and RICS members the FBCI story and how form-based codes can be a part of this new era of change for global cities.”

To learn more about the symposium and to register, visit the event website.

Upcoming Lisa Wise Will Discuss the Future Development of Cities at Prestigious Real Estate Symposium Classes

No Lisa Wise Will Discuss the Future Development of Cities at Prestigious Real Estate Symposium classes are currently scheduled. Contact FBCI to learn more about upcoming classes, or browse recorded webinars for learning opportunities available online anytime.

The City of Keene, New Hampshire is seeking the services of a qualified professional planning consulting firm to assist the City in its efforts to develop a unified land development code and to establish Form Based Zoning in its Downtown. The City is seeking a Consultant team tocomplete the following tasks:

Assist the City in its effort to update and re-structure the City’s land use regulations into an efficient and easy to use unified development code and to align them with the community vision and goals

Develop visualizations and graphics to enhance the readability of the regulations

Lead an effort to prepare a Form Based Code for the City’s historic downtown area

Request for Qualifications Statements are due by 4:00 pm on February 9, 2018 to the Purchasing Office, City Hall, 2nd Floor, 3 Washington Street, Keene, New Hampshire 03431.

Upcoming City of Keene, NH Seeks Consultant to Assist in Development of Unified Development Ordinance and Downtown Form Based Zoning District Classes

No City of Keene, NH Seeks Consultant to Assist in Development of Unified Development Ordinance and Downtown Form Based Zoning District classes are currently scheduled. Contact FBCI to learn more about upcoming classes, or browse recorded webinars for learning opportunities available online anytime.

The City of Greenwood, Indiana (population 56,545 according to the 2016 American Community Survey) is accepting proposals from qualified consultants and firms for the updating and rewriting of the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Control Ordinance to create a Consolidated Development Ordinance. Consultants and firms must have experience and knowledge in the fields of municipal planning and zoning, including experience in the writing and updating of zoning, subdivision, and consolidated development code regulations. The City is looking for form based or context sensitive applications in the development of the new regulations creating both design and infill standards for development in both the City’s existing developed areas as well as greenfield targeted growth areas on the southwest and southeast portions of the City. Key components of the revisions would place emphasis on connectivity, walkability, complete streets, mixed use commercial nodes that enhance quality of life in the City, and increased user friendliness, with a particular focus on illustrations and graphics.

Greenwood adopted a Comprehensive Plan on December 17, 2007, with amendments on February 16, 2009 and December 17, 2012. Additions to the Comprehensive Plan include updated maps to address issues with incompatible land uses and expended planning area boundaries. The Comprehensive Plan and amendments thereto can be viewed at www.greenwood.in.gov

The last complete rewriting of the Zoning Code was in 1982. The Zoning Code has been amended in a piecemeal fashion since that date, including amendments for corridor overlay districts, architectural design standards, landscape standards, and sign regulations. Because the Zoning Code is dated and has been amended in a piecemeal fashion, it does not always reflect best contemporary zoning and planning practices. The City’s current Zoning Code can be viewed at www.amlegal.com

No Zoning Code Rewrite/Consolidated Development Ordinance Greenwood, IN classes are currently scheduled. Contact FBCI to learn more about upcoming classes, or browse recorded webinars for learning opportunities available online anytime.

The Town of Parker (the “Town”) is seeking letters of interest from qualified multi-disciplinary consultants and consultant teams that have an interest in participating in a modified interview selection process or a formal solicitation process for the Modernization of the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) for the Town. The Town seeks to identify prospective consultants or consultant teams that will partner with the Town to bring a full range of expertise in current development practices, land use, urban design, zoning, and project management to comprehensively update and modernize the LDO. Project essentials also include an understanding of land use law with a proven track record in community engagement. This effort will entail a major revision and overhaul of the LDO to incorporate best practices, form-based code approaches, modern zoning principles and a user-friendly administrative framework. Once the Town has identified experienced consultants or consultant teams which it believes can perform the desired services in the manner specified, the Town may seek to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the consultant or consultant team which the Town believes best fulfills the needs, requirements, and expectations to establish a new LDO that reflects the aspirations and high standards of the community as expressed in the Parker 2035 Master Plan.

Upcoming RFIE #17-016; Modernization of the Land Development Ordinance Classes

No RFIE #17-016; Modernization of the Land Development Ordinance classes are currently scheduled. Contact FBCI to learn more about upcoming classes, or browse recorded webinars for learning opportunities available online anytime.

How do you create an attractive, accessible, diverse community—a neighborhood that is recognized and celebrated as a great place to live, work and play?

Conventional land-use regulations focus on separation of land uses, which results in isolation, suburban sprawl, income- and ethnicity-based segregation and a dearth of attractive public spaces. Car-oriented planning has robbed many places of vitality, eroded community life and discouraged walking, cycling and use of public transit.

The solution: land use and development regulations designed to shape the urban form to accommodate a variety of lifestyles, transportation alternatives and a variety of social interactions, all in an appealing setting.

Form-based zoning codes (FBC) give form to the built environment while enabling a variety of uses, including residential, retail, office, recreation and entertainment. The result is a community designed to be walkable, provide access to many transport options and attractively designed featuring plenty of open space to bring people together and encourage street life. Each code’s design is developed with substantial input from local residents and property owners.

“FBCs are an excellent tool because they are driven and shaped by what the community wants and the kind of place where they want to live and work. This approach leads to the development of unique, user-friendly neighborhoods,” explained Christopher Zimmerman, vice president for development at Smart Growth America and former chair of the County Council in Arlington, Virginia.

The Form-Based Codes Institute (FBCI) is holding its inaugural FBCI Forum this fall that will bring together to developers, planners, elected officials and urban designers to discuss and exchange best practices for how to create these types of vibrant and increasingly popular communities with form-based codes.

The FBCI Forum, which is being held on Oct. 11-12 in Rosslyn, Virginia, will provide invaluable information, insights and examples that will be useful to citizen planners, planning and zoning officials, urban designers, architects, real estate developers, land use attorneys and students of all these disciplines.

Tips from real estate developers, planners and other land use professionals from Nashville, Tenn., Arlington County, Va., Somerville, Mass., Fort Worth, Texas and other communities where FBCs are being used for great placemaking; and

Presentations by top urban designers and code writers from top firms such as Dover Kohl, DPZ, Ferrell Madden, Opticos Design and Lisa Wise consulting that has written codes for Winnooski, Vt., Miami, Fla., and Flagstaff Ariz., among others on how to tailor an FBC to meet a community’s priorities.

Topics that will be covered range from how FBCs contribute to economic development, downtown and neighborhood revitalization, preserving historic buildings and neighborhoods, retrofitting suburbs and enhancing rural and small communities.

Attendees will also take a guided tour of Columbia Pike, a 3.5-mile urban corridor close to downtown Washington that was transformed through the implementation of an FBC. The code turned the pike from a run-down stretch of parking lots, strip shopping centers, fast food restaurants and auto dealers backing up to single-family homes to an attractive mixed-use, walkable neighborhood featuring retail and office space, new homes, a new community center and a new public plaza.

To learn more about the FBCI Forum and to register to attend this unique, event and learn more about FBCs and their potential to revitalize your community, visit the event website.

No Experts Discuss Zoning Reform to Create Vibrant, Walkable, Mixed-Use Communities classes are currently scheduled. Contact FBCI to learn more about upcoming classes, or browse recorded webinars for learning opportunities available online anytime.

The Town of Munster, Indiana is seeking statements of qualifications from urban planning consultants to prepare a form-based zoning ordinance to supersede its existing zoning ordinance and other local land development regulations.

Munster, Indiana is located in Lake County, Indiana, 30 miles southeast of the Chicago Loop. Since its incorporation in 1907, the Town of Munster has evolved into an established and prosperous community of 23,000 residents, serving as a cultural and medical hub for the greater Northwest Indiana region. Today, Munster is almost completely developed and exists as a stable, auto-oriented community of primarily mid to late 20th century neighborhoods with an extensive parks and trails system.

In 2010, the Town of Munster adopted a comprehensive plan that identified six guiding principles for its future development:

Submittals must be received by the Town of Munster by no later than 4:00 p.m. (CST) on October 20, 2017.

Upcoming Development of a Form-Based Zoning Ordinance for the Town of Munster, Indiana Classes

No Development of a Form-Based Zoning Ordinance for the Town of Munster, Indiana classes are currently scheduled. Contact FBCI to learn more about upcoming classes, or browse recorded webinars for learning opportunities available online anytime.